Now, Obama Administration Reverses ‘Regime Change’ Policy in Syria

Kerry’s visit to Russian Federation was an effort to narrow differences between the two major powers over Syrian crisis, as the role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in future of the war-torn country is among the biggest disputes.- Xinhua.

Kerry said that countries participating in talks on Syria’s future are focusing “not on our differences about what can or cannot be done immediately about Assad”, but instead looking at achieving a peace process during which “Syrians will be making decisions for the future of Syria”.

President Barack Obama first called on Assad to step down in 2011- a call which has been repeated for years, though that call later softened.

What happens to Assad now seems less important than what happens with the Islamic State, indicating a clear evolution in USA strategy regarding Syria and Iraq.

Russia, by contrast, has remained consistent in its view that no foreign government could demand Assad’s departure and that Syrians would have to negotiate matters of leadership among themselves.

Russia, in contrast, has held to the same line since the beginning: Outside governments, according to Russia, have no say in determining internal sovereignty in Syria.

Putin offered only perfunctory comments at the start of the meeting, but spoke of several “outstanding issues” that need to be resolved. Syrian opposition groups, however, demand that Assad leave at the start of the process.

Jordan is working on finalizing the list of terrorist vs. legitimate opposition forces. Not coincidentally, he said this while in the Russian capital after meeting President Vladimir Putin.

It was ridiculous for Obama to stomp his foot yet again over Assad, as Russian Federation was committing serious forces to defend his ally in Damascus from rebel forces.

Cohen and Bachelor then discuss the mounting crises in Ukraine and Syria, the main topics of the Kerry-Putin meeting, and how the United States and Russian Federation might cooperate in coping with them.

That wasn’t the case on Tuesday.

The world is better off when Russian Federation and the USA work together, he added, calling Obama and Putin’s current cooperation a “sign of maturity”.

Regarding Ukraine, Kerry is asking for Russia’s full implementation of a February cease-fire in exchange for sanctions relief.

“There is no policy of the United States, per se, to isolate Russia”, Kerry stressed.